New research by Post Office has found 61% of the UK population is worried about the of cost of food and Christmas dinner this year.
This is up 16% compared to when asked about last year. Other key findings from the data, which saw 2,000 UK adults questioned, has found the biggest worries for UK residents this December are the cost of gifts (43%), paying heating bills (40%) and the cost of Christmas food (35%). Nearly half (47%) of those who have dependent children living at home are worried about the cost of food over the holiday period.
In the three months leading up to Christmas this year, nearly a quarter (24%) of the nation have had to reduce their spending on essential food items. The main reasons given for that are the rising cost of bills (41%) and food (23%) stretching the average household’s finances.
For households facing poverty and needing the support of food banks like those in the Trussell Trust network, the situation is even harder as even the essentials are unaffordable.
Nearly a third (32%) of the nation have said their Christmas dinner this year will be missing some of the trimmings, compared to previous years. People living in the UK are 61% more conscious of what they are spending on food this Christmas, with over half (52%) saying they are more likely to buy reduced food items to help cut costs, and nearly half (44%) are turning to cash to help budget for their Christmas meal.
With cost-of-living pressures continuing, more people are looking to find ways to budget this winter, 23% of people in the UK intend to take cash out weekly to help them budget, with one in five (20%) stating that they have been saving for the season since the beginning of the year.
With 41% of the population saying they will use cash to help budget for festive food items this Christmas, Post Office Cash Tracker[1] data shows a similar trend. More customers are choosing to withdraw notes and coins in the run up to Christmas with over £878 million withdrawn in cash in November, a rise of over 5% on November last year. The numbers show that the cost of living is having an impact and more people are turning to cash as the average withdrawal amount has hit an all-time high of £119.86.
For the third year in a row, Post Office has partnered with the Trussell Trust with an ambition to raise £1 million in total to help as many struggling families as possible this winter.
The partnership runs from now until 31st March 2024, and means that for every cash withdrawal made over the counter in a Post Office, the Post Office will contribute 1p to the Trussell Trust.
Last year, the partnership, which spotlights Post Office’s Everyday Banking Services, raised almost £340,000 for the charity, bringing the total for the first two years to £630,000. This year, Post Office is looking to go a step further, aiming to raise over £366,000, which would take the total raised over three years to £1 million.
The Trussell Trust has reported that 320,000 people have needed to use a food bank for the first time in the past six months as more people in the UK are unable to afford essential items. The Trussell Trust expects that food banks in its network will distribute more than a million emergency food parcels between December 2023 and February 2024 – the equivalent of providing a parcel every eight seconds this winter. This is an increase on last year with just over 900,000 food parcels being distributed in the same time frame.
Nick Read, Chief Executive at Post Office, said: “Post Office recognises this can be a hard time of the year for some people to be able to afford everything that comes along with the annual festivities. That’s why it is important for us to support the Trussell Trust through this annual campaign, which will see 1p given to the charity for every over-the-counter cash withdrawal, allowing our customers to make a meaningful difference to those facing a particularly difficult winter.
“Post Offices play a crucial role in local communities, helping people access financial support as well as enabling people to withdraw cash to help manage their budgets and pay their bills using cash. The funds generated by customers’ support for the campaign over the years have provided grant funding for food banks to carry on their brilliant work handing out close to 3 million food supplies to people in crisis in the last year. This year we want to raise over £360k – taking the total amount raised to over £1 million in three years – and help make an even bigger difference to people in our communities who need our help.”
Emma Revie, CEO at Trussell Trust said: “The support provided by the Post Office is invaluable to the food banks in our network, especially as they are expecting to distribute more than 1 million parcels between December and February. Our teams across the UK are working tirelessly to ensure help continues to be available but, ultimately, nobody should need to turn to a food bank as everyone should have enough money for the essentials.
“We’re very grateful to the Post Office and their customers who each year have raised even more to support our network. This donation will help continue to provide emergency support to people who cannot afford the essentials, while we work together in the long term to build a country without the need for food banks.”
Jonathan Conlon, warehouse and distribution manager at the Trussell Trust County Durham and Sunderland Foodbank said: “The Post Office campaign and the funds generated by it last year truly made a significant difference. We hope that people get behind this year’s campaign so that foodbanks like ours can continue to support those in our community facing food crisis.”
Postmaster of St. Paul’s Road, Smethwick, Post Office said: “I’m proud to be a part Post Office’s continued campaign with the Trussell Trust which customers can easily be a part of simply by taking out their usual cash withdrawal. Our Post Office sits at the heart of our community and we often donate to local food banks too as we appreciate the growing need there is to help people who are struggling to put food on the table in the Smethwick area.”
Post Office sits at the heart of communities throughout the UK. Alongside the £1 million fund goal this year, some Postmasters and Post Office branches are supporting the partnership by hosting food bank collection services to support the local communities they operate in.
